Work positioner

ABSTRACT

A cantilever beam has means for raising and lowering the beam, for inclining the beam in opposite directions from a horizontal position and for rotating the beam about an axis parallel to the beam. A work support beam is pivotally mounted on the cantilever beam for rotation about an axis perpendicular to both beams. The work support beam is equipped with suitable fixtures and clamps to support and rigidly secure the work piece. This arrangement provides a combination of movements for turning a work piece, such as a heavy casting, in all directions for X-ray inspection and other purposes. The cantilever beam is rotated by a hydraulic motor and the work support beam is rotated by a hydraulic motor in the cantilever beam.

United States Patent 1191 Wagner Apr. 22, 1975 WORK POSITIONER Primary E.\'aminerFrank E. Werner [76] Inventor: Eddie Wagner, 13455 NE Attorney, Agent, or FINN-L68 R. Schermerhorn Failing St., Portland, Oreg. 97220 T 57 ABS RACT [22] Filed: Apr. 22, 1974 L 1 cantilever beam has means for ra1smg and lowermg PP 462,670 the beam, for inclining the beam in opposite directions from a horizontal position and for rotating the beam 521 U.S. c1. 214/130 R; 214/1 Q .axis pa'allel the SUPP [51] Int. Cl. 865g 7/00 beam pwotany mounted on the cantllever beam for [58] Field oi Search." 214/] R. I Q 130 R 147 R rotation about an axis perpendicular to both beams.

2l4/DIG 10; 269/17, 71 The work support beam 1s equlpped wlth suitable fixtures and clamps to support and rigidly secure the 1561 xszsoizenfi ioi'zziiiir :sisii ziezfzazirfirz UNITED STATES PATENTS heavy casting, in all directions for X-ray inspection LCWIS D and other purposes The cantilever beam is rotated a hydraulic motor and the work support beam is roagner 3,820,665 6/1974 Fisher 214/1 D med by hydrauhc motor m the cam'lever beam 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPRZZISTS 3 87B 951 SHEET 1 Bf 2 1) l: w: 7 80 70 73 72 T WORK POSITIONER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a work positioner for turning a heavy work piece to different positions for inspection or for work on the work piece.

The present work positioner is an improvement over the beam weldment positioner illustrated and described in my US. Pat. No. 3,499,549. In said patent a cantilever beam forms a boom which is mounted for raising and lowering, for inclination in opposite directions from horizontal and for rotation about an axis parallel to the boom. The cantilever beam which forms the boom is flanged for convenient rigid connection directly to a work piece by means of bolts or clamps whereby the work piece is limited to the movements of the boom. For certain purposes it is desired to provide additional flexibility for movement of the work piece by rotating the work piece relative to the boom.

Objects of the present invention are, therefore, to provide an improved work positioner, to provide a work positioner having great flexibility for turning a work piece to different positions, to provide an attachment for rotating a work piece about an axis perpendicular to a work positioner beam which is itself rotatable and tiltable, and to provide improved motor means for rotating a work positioner boom and for rotating a work support beam on said boom.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present apparatus comprises an L-shaped cantilever beam having a short leg and a long leg. The short leg is adapted to adjustable mounting on a raising, lowering and tilting mechanism as described in said patent. The long leg forms a boom which is equipped with a work supporting beam mounted for rotation about an axis perpendicular to both beams whereby the work piece may be rotated on said axis relative to the cantilever beam and said axis may be tilted in different directions by the work positioner.

The work supporting beam is rotatable continuously in either direction about said perpendicular axis and the cantilever beam is rotatable in either direction about an axis parallel to its length. These various movements provide an increased flexibility of support useful in X-ray inspection of heavy castings and other work.

The invention will be better understood and additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment illustrated on the accompanying drawings. Various changes may be made, however, in the details of construction and arrangement of parts and certain features may be used without others. All such modifications within the scope of the appended claims are included in the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofa work positioner embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation with parts broken away, showing the rotating means for the cantilever beam;

FIG. 3 is a view on the line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view in side elevation with parts broken away, showing the rotating means for the work support beam.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows the attachment A mounted on the work positioner B. Work positioner B is essentially the same as described in said US. Pat. No. 3,499,549.

In brief. the work positioner B comprises a base having a pair of divergent members 11 which provide a large open area of clear floor space between them. Mounted at the vertex of the V-shaped base is an upright support 12 comprising a pair of vertical members 13 and braces 14. Mounted on upright support 12 is a carriage assembly 15 which overhangs the open space between base members 11.

Carriage assembly 15 is connected to upright support 12 by a pair of rigidly interconnected parallel pivot arms 15 in spaced apart side by side relation. The rear ends of arms are welded to a sleeve 26 which is mounted for rotation on a horizontal pin 27 in the upper ends of the upright members 13. The front ends of arms 25 are pivotally connected to a horizontal pin 29 in the upper ends of a pair of side plates 30 on carriage assembly 15.

A cylinder 31 is pivotally mounted on a horizontal pin 32 in upright support 12. Cylinder 31 has a piston rod 33 pivotally connected to a pin 34 mounted in the lower ends of plates 30. When piston rod 33 is partially extended from cylinder 31, the cylinder is parallel with arms 25 and the distance between pins 32 and 34 is the same as the distance betweenpins 27 and 29. These parts thereby form a parallelogram linkage allowing carriage assembly 15 to be raised and lowered in para]- lei movement. When piston rod 33 is retracted, carriage assembly 15 is tilted forward and when the piston rod is extended farther than shown in FIG. 1. the carriage assembly is tilted backward as illustrated in said US. Pat. No. 3,499,549.

Carriage assembly 15 is raised and lowered by a pair of lift cylinders 35. The lower ends of cylinders 35 are pivotally mounted on a horizontal pin in base 10 and their piston rods 37 are pivotally connected with a pin 38 in the arms 25. The piston rods are shown fully retracted in FIG. I, placing the: arms 25 in their lowermost positions. When piston rods 37 are extended, the arms 25 and carriage 15 are raised.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an outer ball race 41 is secured to the front side of plate by screws 42. Ball bearings 43 support an inner ball race and ring gear 44 for rotation. A boom mounting plate 45 is secured to ring gear 44 by screws 46. Ring gear 44 and plate 45 are rotated by a pinion gear 47. Pinion 47 is driven by a reversible hydraulic motor 50 through a speed reduction gear box 51. Motor 50 and gear box 51 form a unitary assembly which is mounted on the back side of plate 40.

A welder's boom is provided to support welding equipment or tools in a convenient elevated position. For this purpose, a hook 71 is mounted on a trolley 72 which is movable along a track 73 on the boom. Boom 70 is pivotally mounted on a horizontal pin 75 carried by the upper end of a vertical sleeve 76. The boom may be raised or lowered from horizontal position by cylinder 77 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 78 on the lower end of sleeve 76. Piston rod 79 is pivotally connected to the boom at 80. Sleeve 76 is mounted for rotation on a vertical pin 81.

Pin 81 is carried by a pair of brackets 82 and 83 on a vertical post 85. Post 85 is adjustable vertically in a supporting tube mounted on one of the upright members 13. Thus, the supporting post 85 may be adjusted vertically in its supporting tube, the boom 70 may be tilted up or down on its pivot 75 and the boom may be swung laterally on its vertical supporting pin 81.

Attachment A comprises an L-shaped cantilever beam 100 having a short vertical leg 101 and a long hollow horizontal leg 102. Vertical leg 101 is adjustably mounted in radial position on plate 45. A series of screws 104 in slots 105 in leg 101 allows the beam 100 to be shifted radially on plate 45 so that horizontal leg 102 may be moved closer to, or farther away from, the axis of rotation of ring gear 44.

.A work supporting beam 110 is mounted for rotation on the outer end of cantilever beam 100. As shown in F 4, beam 110 is mounted on a plate 111 which is secured by screws 112 to an inner ball race and ring gear 113. Ring gear 113 is supported for rotation by ball bearings 114 in an outer race 115 which is secured "gear box 120 is driven by a chain 122 from a reversible hydraulic'motor 125 mounted within the hollow beam 100; Removal of cover plate 126 provides access to this mechanism through a bottom opening 127 in the beam Beam- 1 l0 is-equipped with work holders suitable for thew'ork piece being handled. To illustrate one useful function of the machine, the work piece W in FIG. 1 is l0,000 pound elbow casting which must be turned to different positions for X-ray inspection to determine the integrityofthe wall structure of the metal. For this type'of'work piece the work holders comprise a pair of upright yokes 130 rigidly mounted adjacent opposite ends of beam 110. The casting is cradled in these yokes and secured by clamping screws 131 in the upper ends ofthe yokes.

The work piece is further secured by a pair of hooks 132 engaged in opposite ends of the elbow. Hooks 132 are tightened by turnbuckles 133 mounted on pivot xpins l 34 atthe ends of beam 110. Thus, the work piece =.is rigidly secured to beam 110 and balanced on ring gear 113 so that it may be safely inverted and turned in different directions for exposure of the wall structure to the radiation of an X-ray machine. The X-ray equipment may be suspended from hook 71 or it may be positioned on the floor adjacent the work piece.

With such amassive work piece, it is desirable to place the center of gravity of the rotating mass close to the axis of ring gear 44 so that the rotating motor 50 will not have to rotate a grossly unbalanced load. This rotating mass involves essentially beams 100 and 110. the work piece W and the yokes 130. Cap screws 104 in slots 105 allow the vertical leg 101 to be raised or lowered on plate 45 to accomplish the desired rotational balance with respect to ring gear 44.

Thus, the work piece W may be rotated in opposite directions on the axes ofring gears 44 and 113, it may be raised and lowered in parallel movement by cylinders 35 and it may be tilted in a vertical plane by cylinder 31. These movements are controlled by hydraulic valves 140 in FIG. 1. This provides a very flexible positional adjustment for many purposes, not limited to the Xray inspection described.

In FIG. 1 the leg 102 of beam is resting flat on the floor between base members 11 so that the work piece may be lowered into, and lifted vertically out of, the yokes 130. Alternatively, the work piece may be brought in between base members 11 in inverted position and beam and yokes lowered onto the casting in inverted position, if desired.

Having now described my invention and in what manner the same may be used, what 1 claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a work positioner having a cantilever beam supported at one end for inclination in opposite directions from horizontal, for raising and lowering in parallel movement, and for rotation about an axis parallel to the beam; a work holder beam mounted on the free end of said cantilever beam for rotation about an axis perpendicular to said cantilever beam which intersects said first axis, work holders on said work holder beam, means for rotating said cantilever beam in opposite directions about said first axis, a motor inside of said cantilever beam for rotating said work holder beam in opposite directions about said second axis. and means having sliding adjustment for said supported end of said cantilever beam to vary the distance between said cantilever beam and said first axis so as to place said first axis on the center of gravity of the combined mass of said cantilever beam, work holder beam and a work piece on said work holder beam.

2. A work positioner as defined in claim 1 including a carriage having movements for said inclination and raising and lowering of said cantilever beam, an outer ball race on said carriage, ball bearings in said outer race supporting an inner ball race and ring gear, and means on said inner ball race and ring gear supporting said cantilever beam, said means for rotating said cantilever beam comprising a pinion gear driving said ring gear.

3. A work positioner as defined in claim 2, said means on said inner ball race and ring gear supporting said cantilever beam comprising a support plate. said cantilever beam being L-shaped with a long leg and a short leg, and said sliding adjustment means comprising longitudinal slots in said short leg and screws in said support plate extending through said slots and clamping said short leg against said support plate.v

4. A work positioner as defined in claim 2 including an outer ball race on said free end of said cantilever beam, ball bearings in said outer race supporting an inner ball race and ring gear, means on said inner ba l race and ring gear supporting said work holder beam, and a pinion gear driven by said motor in mesh with said last ring gear.

5. A work positioner as defined in claim 2, said work holders comprising a pair of yokes, and clamp screws in said yokes.

6. A work positioner as defined in claim 5 further including a pair of turnbuckles on said work holder beam, and work piece engaging hooks on said turn- 

1. In a work positioner having a cantilever beam supported at one end for inclination in opposite directions from horizontal, for raising and lowering in parallel movement, and foR rotation about an axis parallel to the beam; a work holder beam mounted on the free end of said cantilever beam for rotation about an axis perpendicular to said cantilever beam which intersects said first axis, work holders on said work holder beam, means for rotating said cantilever beam in opposite directions about said first axis, a motor inside of said cantilever beam for rotating said work holder beam in opposite directions about said second axis, and means having sliding adjustment for said supported end of said cantilever beam to vary the distance between said cantilever beam and said first axis so as to place said first axis on the center of gravity of the combined mass of said cantilever beam, work holder beam and a work piece on said work holder beam.
 1. In a work positioner having a cantilever beam supported at one end for inclination in opposite directions from horizontal, for raising and lowering in parallel movement, and foR rotation about an axis parallel to the beam; a work holder beam mounted on the free end of said cantilever beam for rotation about an axis perpendicular to said cantilever beam which intersects said first axis, work holders on said work holder beam, means for rotating said cantilever beam in opposite directions about said first axis, a motor inside of said cantilever beam for rotating said work holder beam in opposite directions about said second axis, and means having sliding adjustment for said supported end of said cantilever beam to vary the distance between said cantilever beam and said first axis so as to place said first axis on the center of gravity of the combined mass of said cantilever beam, work holder beam and a work piece on said work holder beam.
 2. A work positioner as defined in claim 1 including a carriage having movements for said inclination and raising and lowering of said cantilever beam, an outer ball race on said carriage, ball bearings in said outer race supporting an inner ball race and ring gear, and means on said inner ball race and ring gear supporting said cantilever beam, said means for rotating said cantilever beam comprising a pinion gear driving said ring gear.
 3. A work positioner as defined in claim 2, said means on said inner ball race and ring gear supporting said cantilever beam comprising a support plate, said cantilever beam being L-shaped with a long leg and a short leg, and said sliding adjustment means comprising longitudinal slots in said short leg and screws in said support plate extending through said slots and clamping said short leg against said support plate.
 4. A work positioner as defined in claim 2 including an outer ball race on said free end of said cantilever beam, ball bearings in said outer race supporting an inner ball race and ring gear, means on said inner ball race and ring gear supporting said work holder beam, and a pinion gear driven by said motor in mesh with said last ring gear.
 5. A work positioner as defined in claim 2, said work holders comprising a pair of yokes, and clamp screws in said yokes. 